Desperate Measures
by ButterflyCryx
Summary: "You don't deserve to have a child! You murdered the first one!" he screamed, face-to-face with the crying brunette. She couldn't let his words get to her. She couldn't allow herself to believe him. Even though somewhere, in the far corners of her mind, she knew he was right... Emily/Hotch.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is my first Criminal Minds fanfic! Please, don't be afraid to give me your most honest opinion. Constructive criticism is welcome. I have been working on this for a long time now and I'm hoping you guys will find interest in it. Anyways, without further interruptions, here's chapter one! (Just so you know, in this story, Emily never left the BAU. Well... she's left temporarily, but for a much different reason.)**

**Story Title: Desperate Measures**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds or any of its characters. I'm simply a fan with a passion for writing.**

* * *

**Chapter One**

Emily Prentiss held her swollen belly while sitting up in bed. She couldn't sleep and was having severe pains near her torso. She tried moving to more comfortable positions but nothing worked. Not wanting to disturb her fiancée, she got up and quietly walked out, descending the stairs to her living room. She entered her kitchen and began searching for something to drink.

The breeze that filtered the air helped relax her. Sipping at her cold class of milk, she quietly walked back into the living room and decided to watch some T.V. She sat on the couch and was careful not to make any noises. With the volume on low, Emily began to watch a marathon of her favorite cartoon, Tom and Jerry. She rested her pale hands on her stomach and felt powerful kicks. She was seven months into her pregnancy, yet she looked like she was about to pop.

_'Just three more months Bradley. Me and daddy are so eager to see you' _she mentally thought, tracing circles with her finger. She began to think about the arrival of her first born and instantly began to smile. Although she was extremely nervous, due to the dangerous nature of her job, she was determined to make it work. She remembered the first time she told the team she was possibly pregnant, receiving a few shocked reactions. Emily always wanted this. A career she was dedicated to(despite the horrors she's seen/faced), a beautiful home, a lover (soon to be husband) and a baby. She always wanted to be a mother, despite her past mistakes. The kicks got stronger which made Emily snap back into reality and even more restless. Feeling uncomfortable, she stood up from the couch and began to pace. She was wearing a light blue robe that Garcia had bought her last Christmas and matching blue slippers. Her jet black hair was put into a tight ponytail, the natural outlines of her face showing. She was truly beautiful, with or without make-up. While resting her hands on her growing stomach, she realized how hideous her finger nails looked.

Just then, Aaron Hotchner descended the stairs, startling Emily in the process.

"God, Hotch. Don't scare me like that" she complained, putting a single hand to her head. Despite the sleep that engulfed him, he managed a smile.

"I heard small movements. Are you okay? Is the baby acting up?" He questioned, examining Emily's belly.

"Yes, I'm fine. Well, not really. He's being too fussy and I can't sleep. All he does is kick. And kick. And kick" she emphasized, burying her head into his shoulder. The worried fiancée and soon-to-be-father cradled his wife into his arms and told her that everything was going to be okay.

That's when Emily started to sob.

Aaron held her as the tears emerged from her dark brown eyes. He soothed her by whispering sweet things into her ear, telling her that she was strong and that she would get through this. As emotional as Emily had become, he managed to stay calm most of the time and used his patience to deal with her mood-swings and constant demands. Emily finished crying and removed her head from his shoulder. Hotch smiled then used his thumb to wipe away the remains of her tears.

"You're going to be okay. Soon enough we'll be able to welcome our son into the world and then you could look back at this and say-"

"It was all worth it. I know, Hotch. I know. I just hate being so god-damn moody all of the time" she complained, receiving a laugh from her fiancée.

"Can't say I disagree" he teased, receiving a slap on his chest in return. He pulled Emily closer then held onto her waist with his strong hands. He kept them there and looked into her eyes, letting the passing seconds turn into minutes. Suddenly, the sound of little feet brought them to their senses as they turned their attention to the stairs. Sure enough, seven year old Jack Hotchner was at the top.

"Daddy, Emzy... What are you doing down there?" He questioned, his quizzical eyes present. Emily smiled at the boy then looked back at Hotch. Jack was wearing his favorite Toy Story pajamas. It had been a gift from Garcia as well.

The woman definitely got around.

"Well sweetie, daddy just came down to make sure I was okay. Bradley isn't being so nice to Emzy right now" Emily explained.

"Is he hurting you?" The little boy asked innocently. This made both parents smile.

"Just a little Jack, but don't worry. He doesn't mean too" Hotch reassured him, the relief on his son's face evident.

"Can you put me to bed, Emzy? I want you to read me a story."

How could the brunette say no? She smiled at Jack then replied.

"Of course, I'll be up in just a second." she promised, watching the young boy go back into his room.

"Are you going to be okay? I can read to him while you go back to bed-"

"Hotch, I'm fine." she assured, getting lost into his eyes. He gave her a small smile then kissed her softly, so soft that Emily didn't want it to end. As he pulled away she internally groaned.

Curse her hormones.

"I'll be waiting for you." Hotch said over his shoulder, going into the kitchen so he could get something to drink. Emily sighed then ascended the stairs so she could read to her stepson.

* * *

The next morning had been a difficult one. Hotch was called into the BAU to review a case that J.J had recieved. As eager as Emily was to go with him, despite her maternity leave, they both knew that wasn't happening.

"At least let me get some paperwork done. I can stay with Garcia and help her-"

"Emily." he interrupted, giving her a firm look. She stood quiet for a moment, contemplating her thoughts. She didn't want to upset him, but she wanted to help in anyway that she could. Finally, after choosing her words carefully, she spoke again.

"It's not like I'm going to be on the field, Hotch. I'll be safe at the BAU. Remember when JJ was pregnant-"

"Emily!"

He didn't realize that he shouted until he saw the look on Emily's face. She looked down at her feet, concentrating on the details of her shoes. She always did this when she had been shut down. Except this time, _he_ shut her down and he immediately began to regret it.

"Honey, I'm-"

"No, it's okay. I'll just stay home then pick up Jack from school." she said, not making eye contact. As she exited the room, Hotch took a moment to breath. His tie was still undone and his shoes weren't on yet, but he didn't care. It's like time stopped for a moment, taunting him for making a small mistake. He sat on the bed and began to rub his temples. The buzz of his cellphone reminded him what he needed to do so without further hesitation, he sprung into action. As he got downstairs, he watched Emily put on Jack's schoolbag and usher him out the door. He stood by it then decided to call after his son.

"Jack! I love you, have a good day."

The small boy turned and smiled, then waved to his father. Hotch smiled and waved back. Emily kissed the top of Jack's forehead then watched him get on the yellow school bus that waited for him. While it drove away, Hotch approached Emily from behind then embraced her bulging stomach.

"I'm sorry." he whispered, putting Emily into a slight trance. She hated that he could do this to her, That he could own her heart and soul with a single word or touch. She let her eyes close for a moment, then turned so she could face him.

"I know." she simply said and with that, she let go and walked into the house.

Hotch sighed then followed.

* * *

The team ended up flying into the state of Michigan after deciding that they'd work on the case. Five homicides have been committed, each family being nuclear. The wife and husband were both tied and kept in their own basement, then they were shot two times in the head. The kids, however, suffered immensely before they died. The boys were tied to a chair then forced to watch their sisters get raped numerous times. After that was done, they watched their sisters get beaten to death. The boys lived the longest (the team hadn't figured out why yet) but eventually got their throats slit. Hotch stared at the gruesome pictures before him and examined each family carefully. He paid close attention to the way there bodies were staged and where they had been left to rot.

"Wheels go up in five." J.J informed them after getting a cup of coffee. She took a seat in front of Hotch while sipping at her hot drink.

"They separated the parents from the kids in each family." Hotch began, keeping his eyes on the photos. Morgan sat beside him then joined the conversation.

"Maybe they didn't want the kids to see their parents being shot." he added, grabbing his copy of the folder that rested in his bag. Reid sat comfortably on the seat next to J.J then shared his opinion.

"Actually, they didn't care for the parents as much as they did for the kids. The parents were the first ones to die in every case, due to the recorded times of deaths listed on this paper. They just wanted to get them out of the way. The children were their main focus."

"So there are two UnSub's?" J.J asked, waiting for an answer.

"Yes, there's evidence that proves it." Rossi said. As they discussed about the case further, Hotch's cell phone began to ring. He checked the caller I.D and saw that it was Emily. Not wanting to interrupt the conversation, he reluctantly put the cell phone back into his pocket and continued to listen to his team members.

* * *

Emily sighed as she waited for the beep, deciding to leave Hotch a message. As she paced her kitchen, a loud creek from upstairs startled her. Her senses suddenly went into action mode as she walked over to the staircase.

She was home alone, so the nose being caused by someone else was definitely out of the question. With Jack at school and Hotch in the middle of a case, Emily was left by herself. Taking one last look, she decided to shrug it off and made her way back to the kitchen.

"Hey Hotch, sorry to bother but I was calling to see how's things were going with the case. Get back to me as soon as you can. I love you." Emily said. She hung up her cellphone then leaned against the kitchen counter. Her shoulder-length hair was surprisingly down today, despite the humid weather. She had on a red maternity blouse and black knee-length shorts. The buttons were left open but didn't show since the blouse covered it. She was barefoot due to her swollen feet. As her eyes stared into space, another loud creek from upstairs startled her. This was odd for Emily. She had been home alone plenty of times before. This never happened.

Curious, the very pregnant brunette decided to go upstairs and see where the noise was coming from. As she reached the top, she noticed a shadow from underneath Jack's door. She froze as she realized she wasn't alone.

Someone else was in the house.

**_To be continued..._**

**A/N: So, what do you think? Be brutal. Any questions? You can leave them in a review or PM me. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Hi everyone! First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed, added this story to their alerts/favorites and, in overall, actually took the time to read the first chapter. It means so much to me, I'm truly honored . It took me a while to get this second chapter right, I hope you guys still want me to continue. Enjoy!**

**Story Title: Desperate Measures**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds or any of it's lovely characters. I wish, though.**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Emily didn't know what to do. She found herself stuck, mouth slightly ajar as her eyes followed the moving shadow. A strong instinct was telling her to walk back down the stairs and get the gun that Hotch hid in one of the kitchen cabinets. However, another part of her couldn't help but feel curious and urged her to take a few steps forward.

If curiosity killed the cat, Emily knew she was done for. As she now stood in front of her stepson's door, she pressed her left ear against it and listened for any voices or sounds.

"There's no one else here- Yes, I know... I saw her stomach. The bitch is definitely pregnant."

Emily immediately froze. She could tell by the tone that there was a male inside of the room. As a sign of protection, she put a single hand on her stomach and realized what was going on. Whoever the hell that was, they obviously wanted something to do with her baby.

_Her_ unborn son.

She slowly retraced her steps, quickly turned, then started for the stairs. Suddenly, ruining any chance for her to escape, the door flew open. _'Shit'_ she thought, as the footsteps that had caused the loud creeks just minutes ago approached her from behind. She wished she could see his face. She wished she could use her profiling skills to discover his true intentions. A cold, hard object was pressed against the back of her head and Emily knew right away that it was a gun.

"If you take one more step I'll put this gun to your stomach and kill that bastard child you're carrying. Try me."

Emily swallowed the lump that formed in her throat and put her hands up in defeat. She wasn't one to go down without a fight but since this was her baby's life that was being threatened, she knew better than to protest. The intruder gripped her right shoulder and pressed the gun even tighter to her head.

"Walk." he ordered in a husky tone as the brunette reluctantly obliged and descended the stairs. As they reached the bottom, the front door swung open and in came Jack. The little boy looked like he was crying and when he spotted his step-mother with a gun to her head, it didn't make him feel any better.

"Emzy!" he called as the tears began again. Suddenly, someone appeared behind the small boy, shocking the pregnant agent. Emily couldn't believe it. Her breathing hitched and her eyes widen at the sight of the man before her. He looked at her angrily and didn't break their intense eye contact.

"John?" she questioned, obviously surprised.

"Emily, I've missed you."

The brunette's eyes were mixed with confusion. John Cooley watched as she suddenly remembered. As the memory of her sin slowly crept into her mind again. She glanced at her stepson who's eyes, unlike hers, were filled with immense fear. That same feeling of guilt that the woman had felt nearly sixteen years ago had struck her heart once again. She made a lot of mistakes in her life, this she couldn't deny, but this particular one had left a permanent mark.

_Literally._

"Let's get this lovely FBI Agent and her stepson to the car. _Now_." John instructed in sarcasm as his accomplice did what he was told and dragged Emily out. She thought to herself _'This can't be happening', _as she was forced into the car and driven away.

* * *

"Hotch! We found something!" Morgan called as the older man seemed to wrestle with his phone. It had been six hours since Emily last called him and left him a voicemail. Frustrated, he dialed her number once again, pressing the numbers with more force. Morgan saw this but said nothing and decided to idly stand by and observe him. Hotch put the speaker to his ear and waited for an answer.

Nothing.

"She's not picking up her phone." Hotch said, a hint of worry clearly evident in his tone. He tried to block out the images of his son and pregnant fiancée being hurt by some monstrous individual from entering his mind and put a single hand to his forehead. His expression was calm, but Morgan knew he truly wasn't.

"How long has it been?" Morgan asked. He knew his Unit Chief. He knew how it was hard for him to think clearly when it came to the safety of his loved ones. The man heard his ex-wife, whom he still unadmittedly loved at that very moment, get shot by some psychopathic serial killer over the phone. That day had been the last straw for Hotch, resulting in him physically beating the man and eventually killing him in self-defense. He searched the man's blank face and waited for a response.

"Long enough to know that something must've happened. She always calls me back or answers the phone." Hotch explained as he walked away from the crime scene. They were currently inside the most recent murdered family's home and had discovered an important piece of evidence on one of the victims. One of the UnSub's had been unfortunate enough to leave his wallet behind- the eight year old that they were sure he had beaten and raped, was found clutching it in her hands. They concluded the man, identified as Roger Freeman, was in a rush and dropped his wallet in the living room floor. The young girl, who wasn't completely dead yet, must've crawled to it and grab it. They suspected this because the blood smears on the floor, showing she dragged herself, proved it.

As J.J was just about to enter the home, Hotch pushed past her. She watched him leave then let her eyes fall on Morgan.

"What's wrong?" she questioned, studying the dark-skinned man's face. His eyes told her that he wasn't sure of anything yet, but it most certaintly wasn't good. J.J internally groaned then walked back out so she could catch up with her Unit Chief.

* * *

Emily felt like they had been driving for hours. She was sitting in the back seat with Jack beside her, the young boy clinging tightly to her red blouse. After convincing the two men, one she was awfully familiar with, to let her sit with him, the little boy hadn't let go. She knew he was scared, he made no attempts to hide it, but that brought out some of her own fear. If they were to tie her up, she knew it'd be the end for her. She wouldn't be able to control anything they did to her or her baby. Oh god, what were they planning to do to her baby? She silently looked down at her stomach and realized that Bradley hadn't moved since she was abducted. She rubbed her stomach gently and made a silent promise to her unborn child in her head. A promise she wasn't even sure if she'd be able to keep.

_'I won't let them hurt you baby boy. No matter what it takes, you'll be fine.'_

They finally reached their destination, which was the driveway of an unknown house on an abandoned street. John put the car to a stop and watched as his partner got out. He opened the side door and roughly dragged the seven year old out. It was barely 7 pm, yet the sun had already set. Emily could still see the brick features of the house, despite the absence of light.

"No! Let go of me!" Jack yelled as the man put his hand over his mouth.

"Shut the hell up, kid! Or I'll permanently _make_ you." he threatened. Emily watched the boys face fall as he immediately became quiet.

"Where are you taking us? What are you planning to do?" she asked as John approached her and roughly pulled her out the car. He pushed her to the floor and held a gun to her temple. Emily managed to land on her hands and knees, avoiding her stomach hitting the cement ground.

"No talking. Unless I address you, I want you to be silent. Understood?" John said. He shot a look at the younger boy, making sure he knew this applied to him as well. The young boy nodded. Emily just stood still.

"C'mon, I'm going to show you where you'll be staying."

Staying? No. There was no way in hell that Hotch or her entire team would let that happen. They would find out she was missing, as well as Jack and they would rescue them. She was sure of it.

She looked at John then studied his face. There was something off about him. He no longer held that friendly demeanor he always had. His eyes were low and unreadable. They reached the back of the house and stopped as John pulled out the keys to unlock a door that led to his basement. He opened it then forced Emily to walk down the stairs. The other man whom Emily still didn't know, released Jack from his tight grip and pushed him to the ground. John sat Emily on a chair and put handcuffs on her.

"Take the little boy upstairs, I need to speak to her. _Alone._"

The other man nodded then looked at Jack, who instantly got up and walked up the steps that led to the inside of the house. Emily mentally noted that there were two exits. She observed her surroundings but was stopped when John made her face him.

"You probably have a lot of questions. Feel free to ask."

"What am I doing here?" she practically spat out. He began to pace then answered.

"God dislikes a lot of things Emily. Killing an unborn child is one of them," he began, stopping so he could look at her. She put on a brave front and continued to listen.

"Sins are meant to be paid for. If there was no price, this world would have no balance."

"What does that have to do with me? I didn't kill my baby, I'm still carrying him."

"It's a boy, how nice. Are you and Aaron happy?" he questioned. For some reason, the way he said her fiancee's name made something boil inside of her. This indicated that the man she no longer knew who stood before her had been keeping a close eye on her little family. She cleared her throat then spoke.

"John, I saved you. I saved your life." she reminded him. He continued to pace.

"Remember when I said I was sorry? For not being there for you when you were pregnant and Matthew-"

"What did I ever do to you John? I never did a damn thing to make you do this-"

"You murdered _our_ baby!" he shouted, creating an echo in the room and an endless one in the brunette's head. She surpressed her emotions and kept a straight face. John had changed. There was definitely something wrong with him. Suddenly, a series of questions blurted out of her mouth and she wished she could take them back.

"Are you using? What are you on, John? What have they done to you?"

His tone dangerously lowered as he knelt down beside her, whispering in her ear.

"I'm going to prove to you that you can't escape your past. It might have happened sixteen years ago but that fetus never had a chance to live. I'm doing gods work Emily, I'm doing what's right." he said.

And with that, he was gone.

* * *

**A/N: Questions? Comments? Leave it in a review or PM me. Thanks so much for reading, let me know what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! I wanted to inform you all that this story will be a very... ****_difficult_**** one to read. This means that Emily does not come out of this unscathed. Just a warning. A LOT happens before the BAU team is even allowed to save her and little Jack. Other than that, I hope you all enjoy this third installment! Read away!**

**Story Title: Desperate Measures**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of it's characters. A girl can only dream.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

"What happened?" J.J questioned as her eyes darted towards Hotch. He hung up his cellphone then took a deep breath, unable to face his colleague. How could he tell her that his son, without him being notified or alerted right away, was taken from school? How could he possibly tell her that his fiancée, whom called him exactly five hours and fourteen minutes ago, had gone missing from their home?

Despite the voices that screamed in his head and told him that this was his fault, he managed to contain his demeanor and answered his friend.

"Jack and Emily are missing."

J.J's blue eyes widened at the sudden realization of what he just said. Her best friend, whom she considered her sister, was missing. The little boy that she had watched grow up into a handsome seven year old was missing as well. Not only that, but Emily was pregnant. J.J's heart began to race as she had another moment of realization.

Emily was **defenseless**. She was unable to fight back, due to her current condition. The blonde ran a single hand through her hair then let out a small sigh. She paced the outside of Hotch's car as his words sunk into her brain.

_'Jack and Emily are missing. They're missing... oh god, no'_

Hotch watched as his colleague's nerves began to rise and decided to speak.

"They're not gone, J.J... they're not-" he stopped himself from saying the unthinkable. That's when J.J spoke.

"I know, Hotch. I know. Any further details? Is anyone searching the house?"

"Jack was abducted from school and Emily was abducted from our home. Strauss just conducted the search. Jack's school didn't even call me. They didn't notify me first..." he trailed off once he noticed Reid and Morgan approaching them. J.J gave the man a sympathetic look but knew that wasn't enough. Until the woman that he madly fell in love with and his son was found, _alive_, she knew he wouldn't rest. Neither of them would.

"Did they find anything?" J.J continued.

"Just Emily's cell phone on the kitchen counter. It was open... My name was highlighted on the contact list. She called me right before it happened."

J.J knew the guilt was already starting to set in, whether Hotch would admit it or not. As Morgan listened, he quickly picked up on what was going on. Reid's face deflated as he picked up on it too.

"Do we need to catch a jet back?" the intelligent doctor asked, observing the Unit Chief's face. Hotch looked into the younger man's eyes and responded.

"No. You and Morgan can stay here with Rossi. Me and J.J will get back to Virginia. This case needs to be worked on."

As much as the two men wanted to protest, they knew that now was not the time. Morgan nodded.

"As long as you keep us updated on everything, I'll take any orders you give me."

Hotch was well aware of Morgan and Reid's brotherly relationship with Emily. Rossi was more of the father figure. He began to think about Rossi and how he was going to take this once he found out.

"J.J, get Garcia on the phone. Let her know what's happening. Morgan, Reid, let Rossi know what's happening as well. We're taking the jet." was the last thing Hotch said before getting into his car with J.J and driving away.

Reid became anxious and worried while Morgan became angry. The audacity of someone to kidnap an SSA from the BAU and the son of the head Unit Chief was beyond him. While pondering, Reid cleared his throat and spoke.

"You can go and tell Rossi, I'll go to the morgue so I can further examine the families corpses." Reid quickly instructed, attempting to hide his anxiety. Morgan stopped him before he walked away and looked into his scared eyes.

"We're going to find them Reid. They're going to be okay." he promised. Reid gulped then looked down at his brown shoes.

"You don't know that." he said, almost in a whisper. Morgan sighed then let him go, mentally cursing at himself.

He then spotted Rossi from a distance. He was currently talking to one of the crime scene investigators. If anyone was going to take this as bad as Hotch, it was definitely the well known profiler standing just inches away from him.

* * *

Emily frantically shifted in her seat as Jack sat on the floor beside her and watched. He was scared for his stepmother and even more scared for his father. He knew Aaron was somewhere, desperately searching for them. He also knew he was really worried. Since Hayley died, Aaron had become very overprotective, something Jack understood. The small boy knew it was because he didn't want to lose him, or Emily and the new baby on the way. He began to think about his little brother whom they would name Bradley Spencer Hotchner and welcome into the world with all of the love they could offer.

Jack sighed then grabbed Emily's shoulder. The brunette stopped and looked at him. For some reason, the fear she once saw in his eyes was gone. What was left was a glint of hope.

"Daddy's gonna save us Emzy." he said, looking sincerely into Emily's eyes. In return, she gave him a small smile. The boy was only seven, turning eight in just a few weeks and he already had more determination than she did.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, knowing this must of been difficult for him. Jack shrugged then let go of her shoulder. He now stood in front of her while speaking.

"I don't know... I just want to go home." he admitted. Emily nodded. She wanted that more than anything as well.

"Jack, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

Emily cleared her throat before speaking.

"How did John get you? You were in school... did any of your teachers see?"

"I don't know... I was close to the open gate. When the bell rang, I was picking up some rocks. When I got up, I felt a hand go around my mouth. Then everything went black." he briefly explained. The SSA couldn't believe that Jack's teachers would let something like that happen. She then felt a powerful kick and grimaced at the pain.

"Emzy? Are you okay?" the concerned boy asked. Emily took deep breaths then assured him with a smile.

"I'm fine, don't worry."

Jack reached out and embraced Emily, despite her being unable to hug him back. She was still cuffed.

"Are they going to hurt us?" Jack asked, his tone of voice breaking Emily's heart. He was trying so hard to be brave and she knew it wasn't easy for him.

"I don't know baby. Look, how about this," she began as the young boy let go of her to listen closely.

"I promise that nothing will happen to you, as long as you promise me one thing." she searched his eyes to make sure he understood her then continued.

"What's that?" he quickly asked.

"That no matter what he does to me... you have to promise not to interfere. What that means is that you can't try to fight him. Okay? If they tell you to leave this basement, you leave. If you hear any noises, anything at all... don't panic. Got it?"

Jack nodded, tears brimming at the corner of his eyes. He knew what she meant. He knew it all too well. Emily hated the stupid handcuffs more than anything at that very moment and wished she could take them off so she could comfort her stepson. She just wanted to hug him and protect him. Just then, the basement door that lead into the house swung open and in came John. Jack stood in front of Emily and blocked her stomach. The brunette didn't fail to notice this and felt her heart jump.

He was trying to protect her and his unborn brother.

John clapped as he approached them, a smug smile forming on his face.

"Wow, that's so noble of you Emily. I couldn't help but overhear you're conversation. You're not so much of the coward I thought you were." he commented. Emily shot him a glare and held her gaze as he spoke.

"You're attempts of protecting little Jack, as sweet as they are, won't get you anywhere."

There it was. Emily now knew his intentions for them.

"I don't care what you do to me, but-"

"So you don't care what I do to that _thing_ growing inside of your womb?" he interrupted. Emily wanted nothing more than to punch this bastards face in. Her baby was not a _thing _and just hearing it emerge from John's mouth infuriated her.

"John, don't you dare lay a hand on Jack. He has nothing to do with this, with us."

The man began to pace, under the observant eyes of Emily, then stopped to reply.

"True, but if you don't cooperate, I might have too."

Emily held her head high while speaking. She looked at Jack and sent him away, not wanting him to hear what she was about to say.

"Listen, as long as you don't touch a strand of hair that's on that little boys head, I won't put up a fight."

John smiled.

"And that?" John said, indicating he was talking about her baby. Emily looked down at her stomach then looked back up.

"You can do whatever you want to _me, _John. Anything that won't hurt my unborn son."

"Fine. Just so you know, a seven month old baby can't live without it's host. If I slap you, punch you, spit in your face even, it may not be affected... but if I starve you and kick you in your stomach, it will."

Emily kept a straight face but felt her heart beat faster than it's normal speed. So this is what he wanted? He wanted to slap her around a couple of times and make her malnourished because of a mistake she made sixteen years ago? She was stronger than that, she could survive this. She just needed Aaron and the team came to come to their rescue. She bit her lip and began to think about her fiancée and how he must have been worried sick. John interrupted her thoughts by calling out Jack's name.

"Go upstairs, now."

The little boy looked at his stepmother and remembered the promise they made. He reluctantly approached the steps and stopped at the bottom.

"What are you waiting for? GO." he demanded as the boy ascended the stairs. He was greeted (in an unfriendly manner) by John's accomplice, who yanked him by his shirt and forced him into the living room.

John got closer to Emily and unexpectedly slapped her, hard, across the face. She kept her head to the side for a moment, then slowly turned to look at him.

"What the-"

_Slap._

"How many months were you? Huh? How many?" John asked as Emily became unresponsive. He slapped her once more, harder than the last time and cupped her face with his right hand. His grip was tight, causing Emily's face cringe. He shook her then demanded an answer.

"Tell me! You selfish bitch, tell me."

"What does it matter?" she asked, her tone of voice calm. Unsatisfied John hit her.

Again. And again. And again. Emily's face was extremely red by the time he stopped. She refused to break. She refused to let her tears be released. She was internally thankful that he hadn't hit her in the stomach.

Not yet, at least.

"Answer the fucking question!"

"Three months." she answered nonchalantly. He looked at her.

"He or she was already fully developed."

Emily looked down at her belly and took a deep breath. She could tell he had been obsessing over this. Over their past. She just needed to figure out why.

"I knew that, John."

"So why did you continue on with your sinful deed?" he questioned, looking at her disgustingly. He shook his head then began to walk away. He stopped at the steps then turned so he could look at her one last time.

"People like _you_, make me sick."

**No.** There was no way Emily could allow herself to listen to that. To feel a certain way because of his words. She was mentally strong, she knew better than to fall into his little trap and become a victim. She slowly counted to ten and remembered to breath. She was going to be alright. So was Jack.

All she needed to do, was breath.

* * *

**A/N: So... there it is. Express your most inner thoughts below. It only takes a few minutes to review. I'd love to hear your opinions. Thank for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note: *clears throat* Hello my lovely readers. I was hesitant to post this chapter up but I finally made a few changes and this was the result... you'll probably hate me by the time you finish reading but, don't worry. After every storm there's a beautiful rainbow. This storm, however, is going to take a WHILE before it passes. Well, enough of my excessive ranting, here's the fourth chapter. I hope you enjoy!**

**Story Title: Desperate Measures**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Emily spent the last hour observing her surroundings and eventually memorized every item. The room mostly consisted of cardboard boxes and plastic containers. There was also an old tool box that sat underneath the stair case that led to outside. The room had no windows which made it immensely hot. The pregnant SSA could feel the sweat trickling down her face and back, damping her red blouse. She shifted in her seat uncomortably and felt the sudden urge to pee.

_'Great' _she thought, hoping Jack, John or even his shithead accomplice whose name was still unidentified, would come down and take her to the bathroom. To distract herself, Emily began to focus on the details of her round belly. She was going to be eight months on Jack's eighth birthday, something she and Hotch found quite ironic. It was currently the middle of October. Autumn had been kind to Virginia, the weather wasn't too humid or too chilly. It was the kind of weather you'd feel a nice breeze in and wear a comfortable jacket for. She remembered last fall and how cold it was, as if winter was trying to make an early appearance. While filling her head with random thoughts, the basement door that led into the house opened and small feet descended the stairs. Jack walked over to Emily and hugged her tightly.

"Are you okay?" he asked innocently, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Yes, are you?" Emily asked back as she awaited a response. Jack nodded into her shoulder.

"Jack, sweetie, are you sure?" she asked again, unconvinced of his reply. The small boy lifted his head and Emily immediately noticed he had tears in his eyes. Perplexed, the middle-aged agent questioned her stepsons behavior.

"What happened?"

"Emzy... they... I heard..." Jack struggled, choking on his sobs. Emily waited for him to calm down, trying not to pressure him. After a few seconds, he finally spoke.

"I heard them talking... I was hiding behind the kitchen door. They want to hurt Bradley, Emzy... they want to cut him out of your tummy."

Emily's mind sprung into action as she contemplated on an escape. She needed to get Jack and herself out of that basement and she needed to get them out of there _now._

* * *

"Hotch!" J.J called, rushing over to her Unit Chief. He was currently searching his and Emily's bedroom. Convinced that the unsub who kidnapped his family had bugged the house, he looked into every nook and cranny. The detectors for the task hadn't arrived yet and he was getting impatient. He took it upon himself, despite Strauss' orders, and practically tore the room apart. J.J watched for a moment as he used a knife to cut through the pillows. He then found what he was looking for; a miniature speaker the size of a raisin. J.J eyes matched his as she showed him the miniature camera she found in Jack Hotchner's teddy bear that always sat on his bed. It was the one Haley had given him for his fifth birthday, along with tickets to see a Lakers game in L.A with Hotch. He remembered how happy his son was in that moment, pulling the tickets out of the bears attached hands. Now the bears eye was used to insert a camera that would spy on him or any of them who entered his room. The older man sighed then continued to look.

"There's got to be more." he stated as J.J nodded and took that as her que to keep searching the boy's room. Just then, Strauss entered the room and was upset at the scene before her.

"Hotch-"

"Please, don't. My pregnant fiancée and son are missing. I **need** to find them." he emphasized, moving around the room. Erin Strauss sighed as she watched the agent frantically search his own bedroom. She knew he wasn't okay, so she avoided asking him the question. Instead, she stood there, continuing to watch him.

"I found two more. One above his headboard and one in the top corner of his wall" J.J said within seconds of entering the room again. Hotch's internal anger rose as he rushed past the two blondes and walked down the stairs to his kitchen. CSI had already left, only being able to find a few finger prints.

"The UnSub wants something from Emily... and he or she is probably using my son as bait." he said, trying to think of who it could be and why. Was there something he missed? A small detail he failed to notice? Was Emily not telling him something?

Emily practically told him everything about herself. From the times she was forced to move around as a teenager to the horrible days she spent in each high school she attended. She even told him about the most embarrasing things that happened to her while growing up, resulting in the two giggling like little kids at five in the morning while laying in bed together. Every mark or scar she had on her body, he knew the story behind them. The scar on her left knee was from falling off of a skateboard while trying to impress a boy in England; she was fourteen. The scar, left by a cut, on her right hand was from a fight she got into in Venezuela; the girls name was Nancy and she didn't like Emily for whatever reason. She attacked her unexpectedly and pulled out a knife. Emily was also fourteen. When she was fifteen, she played for a lacrosse team in Brazil. Claiming she only did it to make friends and that she was honestly horrible at the game, she tripped and the first thing that hit the ground was her chin, resulting in a faint scar that now remained there. The scar on her stomach was supposedly there since birth. He of course believed her, although his profiling senses told him otherwise. As Hotch reminisced about the love of his life and her past, his eyes inevitably got moist. It had only been ten hours now and he missed her immensely. He wondered what she was doing and what low life had her and his son as J.J cleared her throat and spoke.

"What would he or she want? She's pregnant, there's not much she can offer. She also can't defend herself without hurting the baby." she interjected.

That it was. Something clicked in Hotch's mind and J.J didn't fail to notice.

"Our son... they want something to do with our son." he gulped at the realization then headed out the door, despite the late hour, intending on asking a certain technical analysis for help.

Hotch apparently had some more digging to do.

* * *

"I brought you something to drink." John offered, approaching the brunette before him. She was still cuffed and honestly annoyed by it. Staring at the clear glass of water, Emily's mouth watered. Although she was thirsty, she didn't trust John's intentions.

"How do I know it's not some kind of poisonous drug?" she asked, keeping her eyes on the water. She then looked up at him to examine his face. He smiled.

"You're a profiler, right? What do you think?"

Emily stood shut at this then turned away.

"Just drink it."

"Uncuff me first."

"That's not happening."

Jack quietly watched the interactions before him then eyed the tool box under the stair case that led to the outside world. He saw it was open then decided to go look in it. He slowly moved towards it as Emily continued to talk with John and curiously peeked inside. There were a couple of tools but only one caught his eye; a screw driver. An idea emerged into the little boys head and he bent down so he could retrieve the item. Emily's words rushed back into his head and he began to question the action he was about to take. In the midst of his pondering, a loud slap rang throughout the room and Jack froze, turning slowly to see that Emily's face was beat red. Then, unexpectedly, John punched the SSA in the face. He yelled obscene things at her, but Jack couldn't concentrate on his words. He could only concentrate on the blood that slowly slid down Emily's nose and the urge to plunge the object that was in his hand into John's spine. He didn't know what Emily said to cause such a violent reaction but he knew she wasn't the bad one here; she didn't deserve to get hurt. Without further hesitations, the small boy ran towards John and inserted the screwdriver deep into his backside.

Emily's eyes widened in horror as the man who once stood before her now dropped to the floor, holding his back and crying out in pain. She didn't need to see to know that blood was gushing out of John's wound and dripping aimlessly to the ground.

"Jack, oh my god." she said, almost in a whisper, as John's accomplice raced down the stairs.

"You little shit! You're going to pay for this!" John swore as the other man roughly grabbed the seven year old and carried him out. Before Jack was completely gone, there was a brief moment where he looked into Emily's eyes. It was an apologetic look, knowing he had promised something to her but broke it anyway. Tears filled his eyes as Emily yelled.

"Don't hurt him! Please, don't hurt him! Take me, please, just take me!" she begged. Her efforts failed as the upstairs door slammed. John struggled to get up as the screams of a small boy boomed throughout the house and into the basement.

_**To be continued...**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: HELLO! Wow, It's been almost a month since I've updated. I sincerely apologize. I'll try to update more often, but since I start my senior year this week (woohoo!) I'm not going to make any promises. Any who, thanks so much for your lovely reviews! They keep me writing. Well, tis all for now. Read and hopefully you'll enjoy!**

**Story Title: Desperate Measures**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Hotch drove up to Garcia's apartment and parked his car in a rush. J.J got out of the passenger's seat and Strauss got out of the back seat. The two women to keep up with the Unit Chief as he started to speed-walk to the front door. He impatiently rang Garcia's bell and waited for her to answer through the intercom. Approximately five seconds later, the feisty red-head's voice boomed throughout the small speaker.

"This is the goddess of technology speaking, how may I help you at this _very_ late hour?"

In any other occasion, Hotch would have actually played along with Garcia's little antics, but now, in this very moment, there were no time for games. In a firm, but respectable tone, Hotch replied.

"It's me, Hotch. I'm with J.J and Strauss. Buzz us in."

"Yes sir."

Hotch waited for the sound then swung the door open. He quickly ascended the stairs to the third floor. J.J and Strauss followed close behind him. They didn't even have to knock since Garcia was already waiting in the hallway. She opened the door wide enough so they could enter and closed it once they got inside.

"What can I do for you sir?" Garcia asked, making her way into her living room. She was wearing her favorite cheetah print pajamas and her hair was in two braids. She straightened her glasses then took a seat in front of her home computer. She was informed of Emily and Jack's kidnapping earlier that day, but was told to stay calm. She knew they'd need her help and the only way she could do that is if she kept a positive state of mind. Strauss hesitantly took a seat on Garcia's mint green couch while J.J and Hotch stood on either side of her.

"I need you to look into Emily's past. Search her medical records, the places she's lived, people her parents came in contact with-"

"Oh my god, her parents. I have to call them." J.J said, excusing herself seconds later. Garcia gave Hotch a look before turning back to her computer screen.

"With all due respect sir, how is this going to help find them?"

"Whoever abducted them has a personal connection with Emily. I believe it's someone in her past, someone who's been holding a grudge. Their only using Jack against her, they've watched us long enough to know that he's her weakness." he quickly informed her as the woman nodded then swiftly typed. She pulled up Emily's files and searched for anything out of the ordinary.

"She's made a lot of hospital trips for different injuries in various countries," Garcia began, giving Hotch a look. The man simply nodded.

"I know, she did most of those things to act out, she was constantly seeking attention from her parents." Garcia frowned at the sad nature of Emily's childhood but proceeded to look.

"Her parents donated a lot of money to this one church in Italy, it's also where she stayed the longest before moving to Russia." Garcia informed him. She clicked on Emily's medical files that were kept their and gasped at a specific visit. Hotch's eyes darkened as he read what Garcia did. He looked away from the screen and a put a hand over his head. He began to pace, letting this new-found information sink in.

Emily had an abortion.

The files said that she was only fifteen when the procedure was done and parental consent wasn't needed. Her parents never knew or found out about it. He squeezed his eyes shut, inevitable anger rising within him. He couldn't believe that after five years of work and two years of an intimate relationship, Emily never mentioned this. Not once did she care to tell the man she was in love with about her past sin. He shook his head as he continued to pace. Suddenly, like the pieces of a puzzle, everything fit.

"Remember the exorcism cases? Matthew Benton was one of the victims, he lived in Italy at the same time Em did. Wasn't he a close friend of hers?" Garcia asked, as if she was reading his mind. Hotch nodded.

"Emily had a bad history with his parents. Search up their contact information and address." he ordered. Just then, Hotch's phone rang and he immediately answered it.

"Hello?"

"What the hell is going on? What happened to Emily?"

It was Rossi.

"Didn't Reid and Morgan tell you?"

"They were too afraid to tell me. They said I wouldn't take it good and I'd want to leave. Is Emily in early labor?"

Hotch huffed and wished that were the case instead of the _real_ situation.

"She's missing, Dave. So is Jack."

Hotch could've sworn the line went dead for a minute but was reassured when Rossi's voice boomed through the phone.

"WHAT?"

"Rossi, please, I-"

"One of ours is missing, not to mention that their PREGNANT and you got us here, working? This is heinous!" Rossi retaliated, obviously upset he didn't know about this earlier.

"Dave, please, you need to calm down." Hotch ordered, hoping the older man would listen. Rossi was in his hotel room after interviewing several suspects of the family murders. He unfortunately had no luck.

"Look, as soon as this becomes too much for you to handle, let us know. Me, Morgan and Reid will take the next flight there."

Hotch nodded even though his colleague couldn't see him. He looked back at Garcia who was watching him closely then got back to the conversation.

"We'll find her and Jack." Hotch promised, even though a part of him feared the worst.

"Any leads?" Rossi questioned.

"No, not yet. I'll call you tomorrow morning. You should get some rest."

"Unless you can take your own advice, I don't think that's possible."

Hotch sighed then decided to hang up.

"Bye Dave."

Before Rossi could say anything else, Hotch disconnected the call then got back to the technical analysis. Moments later, J.J returned after ending a very frantic phone call with Elizabeth and Patrick Prentiss. Emily's parents were upset at the news and insisted on taking a flight to Virginia first thing in the morning. Even though the Media Liaison advised them to stay where they were (which was an extremely important business trip in Europe), they refused to comply.

"Mr. and Mrs. Prentiss insisted on coming out here. I told them to stay put and wait for any news but they refused too."

"I can't have anyone distracting us. We need to focus on finding Emily and Jack-"

"I know Hotch, but they're her parents. Elizabeth promised to stay out of our way as long as we keep her in the loop. She just wants to be here when we find her."

"And Patrick?"

J.J looked down at her feet and cleared her throat before speaking.

"He's not very happy and-"

"He's blaming it on me." Hotch finished. J.J's blue eyes locked with his dark brown ones and gave him a look that said he was right. Hotch shook his head. He already blamed himself, he didn't need another person putting him at fault too.

"Did you find anything that can help us?" J.J said, looking away and approaching Garcia. The red-head allowed the blonde to read the information they just found and watched her face fall.

"Do you think this has something to do with her abduction?"

"It makes sense. She's pregnant J.J. The UnSub could have kidnapped her before hand, but decided to take action in her last trimester. Revenge could be the UnSub's motive."

"So Jack has nothing to do with this? Why would they take him then?"

"Jack is Emily's weakness. The UnSub is probably using him as a tactic to get what they want."

"What's going to happen to them? What does the UnSub want from Emily?" Garcia questioned. The two SSA's looked at each other than back at the red-head.

"Don't do that to me, dammit! Just say it."

Strauss, who was overhearing their conversation, got up and approached them.

"I believe she asked you a question, Aaron." she said, eyeing him. Garcia continued to wait for a response as Hotch let out a heavy sigh. After a few seconds, he finally delivered an answer.

"Our baby."

Garcia's eyes widened in horror as Strauss dropped her gaze to the leopard-tiled floor.

* * *

Emily's heart raced a mile a minute as Jack's screams became louder. John, who was still on the floor and holding his wound in pain, looked up at her angrily.

"You told him to do this, didn't you?!" he shouted as the hole in his lower back continued to gush with endless amounts of blood. He continued to yell at her, making the brunette flinch in the process.

"John, please, I'm so sorry but you can't hurt him. You can't let your partner hurt him, John! He was just trying to protect me." Emily pleaded as her eyes became glossy.

"No! Stop, please... I'm sorry! EMZYYYYYYY!" the boy screamed from above as Emily felt her heart practically beat out of her chest. She needed to think of a way to help save her stepson and she needed to think** fast**.

"Tell me the truth first, you selfish bitch! Did you tell him to do this?!" John asked once more, finally gaining the strength to stand. Emily thought for a second and realized the only way she could get Jack out of this was if she lied.

The only question that seemed to swirl in her mind was what toll would she and her unborn son have to take for this 'lie'?

"Yes. I told him to do it."

John froze and stared at her for a moment. He walked towards her as Emily took a deep breath and awaited her punishment.

"Did you really think that would benefit you in any way?" he said, his tone low and cold.

"Make him stop, John. He's only seven years old, your partner could _kill_ him!" the SSA emphasized. John gave her one last look before walking to the stairs and forcing himself up every step. When he finally reached the top, Emily let some of her tears go. She wasn't one to cry, she honestly hated it, but she felt so useless and vulnerable. There was never a time when she wasn't able to save herself, or another person from danger. She was always the hero, the one who came to someone's rescue. In this very moment, while she sat in the old wooden chair, she was far from being a hero.

She was nothing but a failure. A useless and vulnerable **failure**.

* * *

**A/N: More Jack and Emily in the next chapter. You'll finally find out the damage John's partner has done... Review?**


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